Slow Down on the Roads

Except when highway speeds are necessary, it’s good to slow down on roads, especially in rural areas, to allow the safe passage of our feathered friends. About 200 million birds are killed by automobiles every year in the United States. Especially vulnerable are larger birds such as owls, hawks and eagles, which become victims when they fly low over roads investigating prey or landing on a carcass, and ground-dwelling/nesting birds that may flush from the side of the road. Most birds will not survive a vehicle strike, but if you come upon one still alive contact your state wildlife agency or local wildlife rehabilitation center to remove and treat the bird. While helping birds, driving slowly will also spare other wildlife which cross roads, such as reptiles and mammals.